A British scientist has won a prestigious innovation award for developing a sponge-like material that can extract harmful phosphates from waterways and reuse them in agriculture. This breakthrough could help combat ‘phosphogeddon’, an environmental crisis caused by the overuse and wastage of phosphorus, which is essential for food production but devastating to aquatic ecosystems.
Transforming a Crisis into a Solution
Phosphorus is a vital element for life, found in bones, teeth, and DNA. It is also a key ingredient in fertilisers, which support food production for the world’s eight billion people. However, excessive fertiliser use and phosphate-rich sewage discharges are contaminating lakes and rivers, triggering algal blooms that kill fish and other marine life. This has left many waterways in Britain and beyond severely polluted, including the River Wye, which has turned into a foul-smelling green soup due to excess phosphates.
At the same time, global phosphate reserves are running low. While Morocco, China, and the Western Sahara still have significant deposits, US reserves have dropped to just 1% of their former levels, and Britain has always relied on imports. The wasteful use of phosphorus means that a resource critical to food security is disappearing at an alarming rate.
A Revolutionary Material with a Simple Solution
Addressing this challenge, Jane Pearce, co-founder of Rookwood Operations in Somerset, has helped develop Phosphate Removal Material (PRM). This natural, sponge-like substance absorbs phosphates from polluted water before being repurposed as fertiliser for crops.
“Our product is designed to transfer phosphates from waterways—where they cause damage—back to farmland, where they are needed,” Pearce explained. The PRM, which is made entirely from natural materials, is placed in open containers in rivers and lakes, where it soaks up excess phosphates. Once saturated, it is relocated to fields, where the phosphorus can nourish crops and improve soil quality.
The material is set to be trialled by a local water company in Somerset, with national-scale tests planned in the coming months.
For her pioneering work, Pearce has been awarded a £75,000 Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award, which supports female entrepreneurs developing cutting-edge solutions to global challenges.
Tackling ‘Phosphogeddon’ and Reducing Imports
Scientists warn that humanity’s reckless use of phosphorus is creating an unsustainable cycle. Phosphate is extracted, used in farming, and then washed away into waterways, where it causes environmental destruction instead of being reused. The development of PRM offers a way to break this cycle, reducing both water pollution and the UK’s dependence on imported phosphate.
“What we have created is a simple yet powerful material that can make a huge difference in solving a serious environmental crisis,” Pearce said. “Our hope is that this technology will stabilise phosphate use in the UK and lessen our reliance on imported fertilisers, which will ultimately benefit the environment.”
With phosphate reserves dwindling and water pollution worsening, innovations like PRM could play a crucial role in securing food production while protecting the planet’s ecosystems.